JPH0779503B2 - A paging receiver that reminds users of important message events - Google Patents

Abstract

An electronic paging receiver for reminding a user of an important event includes a time of day clock for recording the time when a data message is received. The paging receiver computes a future alert time to remind the user of the receipt of the data message. Additionally, the user may enter a future alert time to generate a future alert. Further, the paging receiver is capable of detecting a special time/date field in the received data message to automatically generate a future alert.

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to communication systems and, more particularly, capable of receiving and storing data messages and in response to user input or data contained in said data messages. It relates to a paging receiver that helps remind users of important message events.

Description of the Background Paging systems, which generally employ communication systems, and specifically transmission of call signals, are widely used to transmit information from a transmitter at a calling base station to a selected receiver. Has been used for. This information has been transmitted using a number of well-known basing coding schemes and message formats, such as POCSAG or Golay coding schemes. Over the last few years, the main code transmission mechanism used to signal paging receiver devices has changed from serial tone-based systems to multi-digit binary codeword based formats, and The services provided by Evolution have evolved from simple alarms only and alarms and voice signals to more complex multi-function alarms with visual reading of numeric and alphanumeric data.

Modern paging systems, and in particular paging receivers, achieve their multi-functional potential through the use of microcomputers that allow the paging receiver to respond to information with different combinations of tones, tones and voices, or data messages. ing. Prior art paging receivers are also equipped with features to store the data message in the memory of the paging receiver to allow the user to recall the message later. Other distinguishing features are the visual display of the message to the user,
A visual indication of time, the ability to store messages to be recalled later, and the ability of the paging receiver to provide the number of messages received.

A typical memory display pager stores multiple received messages in the memory of the paging receiver. In the operation of such paging receivers, the important factors required for their successful operation are the portability of the receiver, the limited energy available to the receiver, the utilization for the processing unit of the paging receiver. The amount of memory available, the limited availability of radio spectrum, the fast response times required in today's active society, and the number of paging receivers included in the paging system. In such a paging receiver, in order to minimize battery consumption, the paging receiver is commonly known as battery saving, in order to maximize the length of time energy is available from the battery. Turned off and on systematically. The limited energy that the paging receiver must operate within limits the memory and minimizes the electronic circuitry such as the memory in the paging receiver. When sending a data message, the data message is limited due to the limited amount of memory available for the operation of the paging receiver. Within these limits, a commercially suitable paging receiver must work.

A particular problem with prior art paging receivers is the situation when an unattended paging receiver receives a message. This situation relates to when the message was received by the paging user,
Or worse, it leaves some confusion about the user not being aware that the message is being received. One effort to solve this problem has been the "reminder chirp" that has been used in pagers such as Motorola's "BRAVO" paging receivers.
chirp) ”was used. In operation, the reminder chirp will generate an audible alert a predetermined time after receiving the message. For example, if the predetermined time is set to 10 minutes, the "reminder chirp" will generate an audible alarm for unread messages after 10 minutes have elapsed. However, a new incoming message can reset the reminder chirp timer to 10 minutes again. If a new incoming message arrives within the 10 minute period, the reminder chirp is set 10 minutes after receiving the new incoming message.

Therefore, since the incoming message resets the reminder chirp alert, the plurality of received messages alerts the reminder chirp only after a predetermined amount of time has been counted since the last received incoming message. Clearly, this denies the usefulness of reminder chirps.

Given a particular example, assume that the first incoming message was received at 2:00 PM and the reminder chirp was set for 10 minutes. Chirp for the reminder is 2:10 PM
Will be scheduled to ring. However, 2:
An incoming message received at 09PM will schedule the reminder chirp at 2:19 PM, and at 2:10 PM no audible alarm will ring. Continuing with this example, a message received at 2:18 PM would cause the reminder chirp to be scheduled at 2:28 PM. Obviously, multiple sequentially received messages can completely negate the usefulness of the reminder chirp. Therefore, it would be highly desirable for a user to have a paging receiver that reminds future alerts for each received message based on the time the incoming message was received.

Another particular problem with prior art paging receivers is the inability to re-alert the user based on the information received in the incoming message. For example, "2:00
If a message containing "Meeting in Boynton's room at PM is received at 12:05 PM,
It would be highly desirable to remind the user of the upcoming meeting at 1:50 PM with future alerts. Therefore, it is desirable to have a paging receiver that plans future alerts, such as by user input, based on the information contained in the data message.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention was developed for the purpose of reminding paging users of significant events based on the time information contained in the data message or on the time the message was received. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for planning future alerts based on user input.

Another object of the invention is to generate future alerts for the paging receiver based on the time the message was received.

Another feature of the invention allows the user of the paging receiver the ability to re-plan future alerts, delete future alerts, or change the parameters used to generate future alerts. It is to be.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a paging receiver for generating a future alarm, the future alarm being an audible alarm, a vibration alarm, a printed indicator, or a visual display indicator. One or more of.

Generally, the paging receiver according to the present invention comprises a receiving means,
It includes a decoding means, a memory means, a time of day clock, a user input means, a comparison means, and an alarm means. The receiving means receives a selective call signal having at least one data message. The decoding means decodes the selective call signal to recover a data message. The date and time clock is sampled so that the time the data message is received can be stored in memory with the data message. The user input means receives a signal from the user that instructs the data message and specifies time information. The time of future alerts can be calculated based on the time information entered by the user or the time the message was first received. In the case where the data message is provided with a determination means for determining whether or not the time data is included, when the determination means includes the time data, based on the time data, the time data is not included. Can calculate the time of future alarms based on the time information entered by the user. The comparison means constantly compares the time from the date and time clock with the future alarm time. The comparing means activates the alarm means when the time of day matches the future alarm time. The alerting means include audible alerts, vibration alerts, printers, and visual display indicators.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a paging receiver storing multiple messages and having a date and time display in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the paging receiver shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the scheduling of the message activity routine by the software background process.

FIG. 4A illustrates a plurality of messages stored in the memory of the paging receiver.

FIG. 4B shows an entry in the future alarm section for generating a future alarm at the paging receiver.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram showing a process for generating future alerts at a paging receiver.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating user interaction for activating or deleting future alerts.

FIG. 7 is a detailed flow diagram for inserting an entry in the future alert table.

FIG. 8 is a detailed flow chart showing the process of changing some parameters for future alert table entries.

FIG. 9 is a detailed flow diagram describing the user's actions for inserting an entry in the future alerts table.

FIG. 10 shows a detailed flow diagram for automatically inserting entries in the future alert table by the decoder.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart describing a method for generating a time for a future alert based on the time a message is received.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments To best illustrate the utility of the present invention, the present invention comprises:
Described with respect to a communications receiver, such as a paging receiver, capable of receiving and decoding a selective call signal, the selective call signal including at least one data message. Although the present invention will be described hereinafter with particular reference to a paging receiver, it is believed that, at the beginning of the description that follows, the apparatus and method according to the present invention may be used with numerous other communication receivers. It should be understood that

Here, the paging receiver is associated with a paging system having a base station terminal, responsive to control and data information from the base station terminal, and then storing and providing data messages to the user during operation.

FIG. 1 shows a paging receiver 10 according to the present invention, which is capable of storing messages and which has a time of day display 8, a message display device 52, and the present invention. Accordingly, it has a plurality of operation switches 34, 36, 46, 44, 48, 68, 70. The date and time display 8 includes a day of the weak indicator 13, a date indicator 15, and a time indicator 17. The day of the week display 15 indicates the day of the week. The date display 15 displays the date, and the time display 17 displays the time of day (hours, minutes, seconds) including AM or PM display. The operating switch provides an input signal for operating the paging receiver 10 as described with reference to FIG. Message indicator 52 provides the paging receiver user with the ability to display any one of a plurality of messages stored in paging receiver 10.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the paging receiver 10 which employs the present invention. Antenna 12 is shown coupled to receiver 14. Receiver 14 detects and demodulates signals transmitted from a remote location by a radio frequency communication link. In operation, receiver 14 may include any of a number of frequency tuning techniques including crystal channel elements or digital synthesized frequency dividers and any of a number of modulation / demodulation formats including amplitude modulation and frequency modulation. Can be used. For purposes of the present invention, it is easiest to treat receiver 14 as a well known frequency modulation (FM) receiver that includes channel elements for precisely tuning and detecting frequency modulated information. is there. However, a suitable detection RF for analysis
Any of numerous types of other receivers can be used to generate the signal. The output of receiver 14 is coupled to an analysis and decoding system block 16, typically known as a decoder. More specifically, the receiver 14
The output of is coupled to a microcomputer controller 18. Although the term microcomputer is used, those skilled in the art will appreciate that many custom programmed logic circuits, such as program array logic, can be utilized to achieve the same control function. For the purposes of describing the preferred embodiment, the equipment of the paging receiver device employed in the present invention will be software stored in the memory portion of the microcomputer based controller. Microcomputer 18 includes a common bus, shown as 20, which is used to couple microcomputer 18 to various additional devices. Although any of a number of microcomputers are suitable, a preferred device is the MC146805C4 or MC68HC11A8 model manufactured by Motorola, Inc.

The microcomputer 18 not only controls the switching on and off of the receiver 14, but also operates the receiver 14 on an intermediate basis to extend the life of the battery 15 by the battery saver circuit 22. The receiver 14 outputs to a microcomputer 18, which compares the received address word with an address contained in a code plug memory 24 to determine if a particular paging receiver is activated and if paging reception. It has an address decoder to prevent it from working unless the machine has been activated. Basically, the code plug memory 24 is the microcomputer 18
Are operatively coupled to the microcomputer 14 so that when the receiver 14 receives the paging code and the corresponding selective call signal, the microcomputer 18 activates the code plug memory 24 and reads its own encoded contents. To do so. If the received paging code matches the unique paging code stored in the code plug memory 24, the selective call message associated with the received paging code is stored in the memory means 26.

The paging receiver in FIG. 2 has the ability to store selective call message signals in memory 26 or provide them to support unit 28 or display driver 30 for reading them according to the state in which the switches of switching means 32 are set. It is noted that they have. The switch interface 34 provides the possibility of I / O between the switching means 32 and the microcomputer 18. More specifically, the switching means 32
Switches 34-36 for passing alarm signals to alarms 38, 40, and 42, and a switch 44 for controlling storage, protection, and retrieval of messages stored in memory 26.
-48, and includes switches 68 and 70 for controlling the input of future alert information to paging receiver 10.

For example, protection switch 48 allows the user to select a protection message location from corruption contained in memory 26. The switch 46 allows the user to read a particular memory location in the memory means 26. The switch 44 allows the user to delete messages from the memory locations contained in the memory means 26. Switches 34 and 36 are typically lamps
Allows selection of one of the alarm devices 38-42 with a light emitting diode, speaker, or other annunciator. Switch 68 is used to set paging to one of several operating modes or states, and switch 70 allows data to be input to the paging receiver.

Continuing our discussion with reference to FIG. 2, the microcomputer 18 decodes the address data in a known manner and compares the result with a predetermined address contained in the code plug memory 24 to process the message data. In order to store the message data, and to alert the user that the message is being received, an output signal is generated. Microcomputer 18 communicates with other elements of the paging receiver through bus 20 and via input / output port 50. One of the output signals from the microcomputer 18 is supplied to the display driver 30 to produce an alphanumeric representation of the data on the message display panel 52 or the time information on the date and time display panel 8. The other output signal is fed to the support module 28, which may be a vibrator driver 54, an alarm lamp driver 56, or a converter driver.
58 can be selectively operated. Other signals are applied to the battery saver unit 22 and the switch interface 34. Microcomputer 18 also has a converter driver 58
It also controls an alarm generator 60 that causes the tone generated by the speaker 38 to be applied to the speaker 38.

The clock signal derived from oscillator 62 is applied to microcomputer 18 to control the rate at which the signal, including data messages, is processed. Microcomputer 18 uses oscillator 62 for internal operation as well known in the art, as well as for controlling its interface to other elements of paging receiver 10, such as timer controller 64. The timer controller 64 provides the microcomputer 18 with time and interrupt information in a manner well known in the art. The time information is used to update the date and time display device 8 and to process the data according to the flow diagrams in FIGS. Basically,
The timer controller 64 is an electronic clock for determining the actual date and time of day as a number of functions including minutes, hours, days and months. Microcomputer 18 is coupled to read only memory 66 by data bus 20 and to random access memory 26 by data bus 20. RAM 26 includes a plurality of message storage areas and stores the data messages that microcomputer 18 converts from the received encoded paging information signals and processes these signals including decoding, and stores them in designated memory location areas of RAM 26. It is configured to properly store the data message. The program or routine for operating microcomputer 18 in accordance with the present invention is stored in ROM 66 and is generally described with reference to FIGS.

In the paging receiver 10, the received and decoded data message is stored in the message storage area of the RAM 26 by the microcomputer 18. The message can be read by the user by notifying the microcomputer 18 via the process of energizing the read switch 46 to read the appropriate memory storage area, and the message can be read on the display panel 52 via the display driver 30. Can be displayed. Once the message is stored in memory, the paging user may wish to continue such storage and delay reading the message. Alternatively, the user may query RAM 26 to determine if any messages are stored therein while later reading is selected for the paging receiver when so commanded by switches 34 and 36. You may want to match. To initiate such an inquiry to read RAM 26, the paging user actuates switch 46 to cause microcomputer 18 to read a memory location from RAM 26. Read (rea
d) Subsequent activation of switch 46 is microcomputer 1
Advances 8 through multiple memory storage areas and displays their contents. Further, after reading the data message, the user can delete the message by activating the delete switch 44 or protect the message from destruction by activating the protect switch 48. In addition, the mode switch 68 allows the user to enter time information regarding the selected message to remind the user of significant events. Enter switch 70 allows the user to select and modify time inputs to generate future alarm information.

It should be noted that the description of pager operation given above is, of course, general. Further details of the operation of the pager are assigned to the assignee of the present application, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, and is assigned to U.S. Pat.
Can be seen in No. 7.

The following flow chart refers to the operation of the microcomputer 18. The program described by the flowchart is stored in ROM 66 in a predetermined sequence to operate the microcomputer 18 to schedule, delete, or change future alarms for data messages. Other routines for paging receiver operation are contained in RAM 66, but are not described here as they are not necessary for an understanding of the invention.

The present invention relates to a method for generating a future alarm signal to remind a pager user of an important event. FIG. 3 shows an overall flow diagram of a paging receiver for receiving, storing and processing data messages in a plurality of message storage areas contained in RAM 26. The operating software of the paging receiver is foreground and background.
ground) processing is separated. Foreground processing accomplishes functions well known in the art such as decoding data from the receiver and performing battery saving processing. Foreground processing is not described here as it is not necessary for an understanding of the invention. The background processing shown in FIG. 3 includes these routines for providing future alerts for data messages.

Referring to FIG. 3, first the paging receiver is powered up and the well-known house key pink technique is performed to initialize the bus and peripherals connected to the microcomputer 18, steps. 100.
The microcomputer is placed in a state 102 for receiving information via the foreground process. Referring to step 102, the microcomputer 1
If the timer internal to 8 counts to zero, the foreground process is interrupted and the microcomputer is directed to step 104 of the background process. Typically, these timer interrupts occur once every 77.5 ms and the internal timer is reinitialized in step 104 so that additional interrupts occur at other 77.5 ms.

After reloading the timer, the microcomputer checks for successful decoding of the incoming message. If an incoming message has been detected and successfully decoded, then the incoming message is stored and the incoming message flag is set to notify other routines of receipt of the incoming message, step 106.

The method then detects the actuation of either switch via the switch interface 34 at step 110. The switch determines which message store address, view, protect, delete, read, or schedule future alerts. In essence, sensing a switch sets a series of flags that indicate whether one of the switches is energized. Other routines, such as low battery testing, alarm generation routines for generating alarms, and internal housekeeping, are then executed at step 112. These other routines are not described here as they are not necessary for an understanding of the invention.

In step 114, the state table driver picks up vectors and indicators from the foreground process, background process, and other processes and acts on the user to the background process leading to one of the plurality of routines 116-126. Follow the appropriate instructions to process the message. For example, if the user activates the mode switch, the sense switch routine 110 sets the mode flag and the state table driver schedules the future alert routine to allow the user to schedule future alerts.

The flow chart for the future warning routine is shown generally with respect to FIGS. It should be understood that the above-described embodiments of the background process are merely exemplary, and modifications thereof may be made by those skilled in the art depending on the particular paging receiver. The following routine allows the user to schedule future alerts for the purposes of the present invention and allows the microcomputer to automatically schedule future alerts according to the informative content of the data message. Describes the routine.

As an example, consider the tables shown in FIGS. 4A-4B. FIG. 4A is a message table showing a plurality of message storage areas as a table. Each received message is assigned to a message storage area 1, 2, ..., N-1, N. Each message doesn't have to be chronological,
This is because the incoming message is first stored in the available free message storage area. In the operation of the system, the time when the message is received is stored in the message storage area. Further, if a future alert is planned, an entry in the future alert table is stored in the alert schedule table index of the corresponding message storage area.

The future alert table is shown in Figure 4B. The future alert table includes multiple entries for planned future alert events. Each event includes a time, date, alarm indicator and message number. Time means a future time to generate an alarm. The date informs the system about the date when future alerts will occur. The alarm indicator represents one of a plurality of alarms. For example, D means to visually display a message in response to a future alarm. A corresponds to the generation of an audible alarm. P represents printing the message. V indicates that a vibrational alarm should be generated. Note that multiple alerts can be included in one alert area. For example, DA means that the message is displayed visually and at the same time an audible alarm rings. Finally, the message number correlates to the message for which future alerts are generated.

For example, looking at FIGS. 4A-4B in some more detail, see message 3 "Call Fred at 6:45 PM tomorr.
ow ”has a future warning planned at 6:45 PM on 3/5/88. This alarm takes the form of an audible alarm. Therefore, 3/5/88
At 6:45 PM the pager will generate an audible alarm with the number "3" appearing on the display. If the alert field contains a "D", the message will be displayed automatically. Consider another example in FIGS. 4A-4B. Entry 3 in the future alerts table causes message 4 to be printed at 3:30 PM on 3/4/88 with an audible alert. For clarity, reference is now made to FIGS. 4A-4B.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the future to allow the user to select future alarm times, deselect future alarm times, or select specific alarms to occur at future alarm times. One flow chart of a dynamic alert routine is shown. First, the pager will step 120
At first, it is in standby or standby mode. The paging receiver then determines in step 122 whether the read switch is activated.
If the read switch is activated, this informs the paging receiver that the user wants to query the message storage area at the paging receiver. Depending on the activation of the read switch, the paging receiver interrogates the message storage area in step 124 and displays the message in the selected message storage area. The paging receiver then checks to see if the mode switch is activated, step 126. If the mode switch is not activated, the system determines if the displayed message has timed out, step 128. If the message being displayed has not timed out, the paging receiver senses the read switch to determine if it is reactivated, step 130. If the read switch is activated, the next message storage area is selected and displayed at step 124. If the read switch is not activated, the paging receiver repeats steps 126-128 to determine if the mode switch is activated or if the message has timed out.

Returning to step 128, if the message display times out, the paging receiver is in standby mode.
Return to 120. Returning to step 126, if the mode switch is activated, this means that the paging user wants to perform a future alert function. Depending on the activation of the mode switch, the pager will display "timer mode" on the screen of the display to inform the user that the pager has been configured for information input,
Step 132. Information entry and future alert planning (scheduling) will be described with reference to FIG.

Returning to step 122, if the read switch is not activated, the paging receiver determines the future alarm time and future alarm date stored in the future alarm table at the current time and date at the paging receiver. Compare with step 134. A brief reference to FIG. 4B shows an example of a future alert table. The future alert table is contained in RAM 26 and includes a time field, date field, alert field, and corresponding message number for each selected message. For example, entry 1 indicates to display message number 2 at 5:30 PM on 3/4/88. Yet another example is shown in entry 2 where message 3 indicates that an audible alert is generated at 6:45 PM on 3/5/88. Obviously, numerous alerts can be generated depending on the message and the time.

Returning to step 134 of FIG. 5, if the current time is greater than or equal to the current time, the paging receiver clears the entry from the future alert table and the alert is generated. decide. Step 13
6. Referring briefly to FIG. 4B, if the current time at the paging receiver is 5:30 PM, 3/4/88, the first entry in the future alert table is executed. That is, the paging receiver will schedule message 2 to be displayed at this time. Generally, the alert may take the form of an audible alert, a visual indication, a print, a vibration, or any combination, step 138. The paging receiver then returns to step 134 to determine if another entry in the future alerts table is planned for alerting.
If the current date and time do not match other entries in the future alert table, the pager returns to standby mode, step 120.

At this point, it is important to note that for simplicity in describing the process of the present invention, the future alert table is only scanned when the pager is in standby mode. Obviously, the future alert table can be scanned at a higher rate to ensure that future alerts will not be delayed for an irrational period. For example, a scan of the future alerts table can be performed between steps 128 and 130 so that alerts are also generated if the user is reading a message.

Next, referring to FIG.
The continuation of the figure is shown. Briefly, the flow chart of FIG. 6 is entered when the mode switch is activated, which means that the paging user wishes to insert or remove an entry in the future alert table. Referring briefly to the original FIG. 5, the display screen shows the "timer when the mode switch is activated.
"mode", step 132. If the mode switch is activated, the paging receiver then determines in step 140 of FIG. 6 whether the enter switch is activated. If the enter switch is activated, this means that the user wants to enter timer mode. In timer mode, the user can enter an entry in the future alert table or delete an entry in the future alert table. Referring to step 140, if the enter button is activated after the paging receiver displays "timer mode", the paging receiver will prompt and prompt the user to enter an entry in the future alert table. Step 142, determine if desired.
The paging receiver then "activates time (activate t
ime) ”is displayed. If the user does not wish to enter the "activate time" routine, the user instead activates the mode switch, step 144. If the user activates the mode switch, the paging receiver returns to prompt the user to enter "timer mode", step 132 of FIG. If the mode switch is not energized, the paging receiver determines whether de-energization of the mode switch and enter switch has caused a timeout condition, step 148. The timeout condition guarantees that the pager will return to standby if no action is taken by the user within a period of time, step 156. If no timeout has occurred, the paging receiver returns to step 140 to determine if the enter switch has been re-energized.

Returning to step 142, if the enter switch is activated, the display screen prompts the user to determine whether the user wishes to insert an entry in the future alert table, step 142. If yes, the user activates the enter switch,
Step 150. Entering an entry in the future alert table is described with reference to FIG.

If the enter switch is not activated, the system determines if the mode switch is activated, step 152. If the mode switch is not activated, it is determined whether the inactivity by the paging user caused a timeout, step 15.
Four. If there is no activity, the paging receiver times out and returns to standby, step 156.

Returning to step 152, in response to the activation of the mode switch, the display prompts the user to determine if the user wants to "deactivate time", step 158. If the user wishes to deactivate the entry in the future alerts table, the system detects whether the enter switch is activated, step 160. However, the user may wish to continue with a different mode and the system will detect if the mode switch is activated, step 162. If the mode switch and enter switch are not activated for the predetermined timeout period, the system returns the pager to standby, steps 166 and 156.

However, the user may want to insert a new entry in the future alert table. This is achieved by energizing the mode switch,
Step 162. Depending on the activation of the mode switch, the system will "insert time (in
"sert time)", step 164. If a new entry is to be inserted in the future alert table, the enter switch is activated, step 168. Insertion of a new entry in the future alert table will be described with reference to FIG. If the Entaschi is not energized, energizing the mode switch can result in the end of Tama mode, step 170, which causes the system to display a message on the display screen as shown in step 132 of FIG. Return to the state where "Timer mode" is displayed. If the enter switch or mode switch is not activated within the predetermined timeout period, the system returns the pager to standby, steps 172 and 1.
56.

Referring now to FIG. 7, there is shown a flow chart for inserting a new entry in the future alert table. See Figure 4B for a brief review. FIG. 4B shows a future warning table stored in RAM 26. The future alert table includes a plurality of entries, each entry including a time field, a date field, an alert field, and a message field. The time field contains the date and time for future alerts. The date field contains the date for future activity, and the alert field means what type of alert should be triggered. Finally, the message number is associated with the message stored in RAM 26 along with the entry in the future alert table. The time field is compared to the current time to determine whether to take action on the entry. The date is compared with the current date to determine if this message should be acted upon. The alert field represents what alert should be triggered when the current time matches the time-date field in the future alert table entry. For example, if the alarm should generate an audible alarm, then A is stored in the alarm field. If the alert displays a message, a D appears in the action field. If the message should be printed on an external printer, a P appears in the alert field. For example, referring to the first entry in FIG. 4B, that entry is decoded as message 2 would appear at 5:30 PM on 3/5/88. Similarly, the second entry is interpreted as the message 4 being displayed on the display at 15:45 PM December 15, 1987. Obviously, the future alerts table can contain multiple entries to generate subsequent alerts by the paging receiver to notify the paging user of significant ongoing events.

Returning to FIG. 7, future alert table entries can be generated in one of two ways. The first method is for the user to select a time field already included in the message for storage in the future alert table. If the time field does not occur in the message, the user is prompted to manually set the time and date for new entries in the future alert table. The method begins by setting 200 a blinking cursor at the beginning of the message to alert the user to the fact that this message is the beginning of the time and date fields, step 200. If this is not the start of the time date field contained in the message stored in memory, actuating the mode switch moves the cursor to the next character in the message, steps 202 and 208. The method then determines if this is the end of message, step 214. If this is the end of the message, there is no time-date field in the message and the method exits and returns the pager to the stanber state, step 213. If this is not the end of the message, the subsequent actuation of the mode switch causes the cursor to move through the message. If the time date field is included in the message, the user activates the enter switch, step 204. If the mode switch or enter switch has not been activated within the predetermined timeout period, the system will return to standby,
Step 210.

Returning to step 204, if the user finds the time date field contained in the message stored in the paging receiver, the enter switch is activated, step 204. The system then determines in step 206 whether the time date field contained in the data message is of the correct format. If the time-date field does not occur in the message stored in memory, subsequent energization of the mode switch and subsequent energization of the enter switch causes the user to be prompted for the time-date setting as shown in step 212. Also be careful to allow. If the selected field does not contain the correct format for the time-date field or is not a time-date field, the system prompts the user to manually enter the time date, steps 212-216. However, if the user selects the correct time-date field included in the data message, the method automatically inserts the time-date field with the message number into the future alerts table, step 218. Returning to step 206, if the correct format for the time-date field is not found, the system prompts the user to manually enter the time-date in the future alert table, steps 212 and 216. This is done similarly to setting the time and date on a watch and is well known to those skilled in the art. Eventually, the time-date is entered into the future alert table automatically or manually by the user, step 218.

The system then determines what type of alert should be issued by the paging receiver if the current time matches or exceeds the time-date field in the alert table, step 220. . This is done by one of two methods. In the first method, the selected alarm is a default alarm determined by a preselected setting at the cord plug, step 222. Basically, the cord plug is factory programmed and the user can select the type of alert to be generated by future alert entries. The cord plug is programmed with a default alarm or alarm to be used. This can include audible alerts, prints, visual alerts, vibrator alerts, or any combination, step 222.

If no default alert should be generated, the user is prompted to select an alert, step 224.
The alert is displayed on the paging receiver and selected in a predetermined manner, in which case the audible alert can be displayed first. If an audible alert is to be generated by an entry in the future alerts table, Entasch is activated and the selected alert is stored in the future alerts table, steps 226 and 228. However, if the display of a particular alarm icon is not the desired alarm, the mode switch may be activated to cause the display of the next alarm icon, step 23.
0 and 232. For example, the first alert icon to be selected may be an audible alert icon. If the user does not want to select the audible alert, the mode switch is activated and the display alert icon is displayed.
If the user does not want to activate the display alarm,
Subsequent activation of the mode switch can cause the vibration alarm icon to be displayed. Eventually, the user selects one of the displayed alerts or a timeout occurs and the paging receiver stores the time date field and action field with the message number in the future alerts table, steps 233-234. Finally, notify the paging receiver that the entry number is set in the message storage area used by the paging receiver that the message has an entry in the alert table, step 236. The paging receiver is then set up to query the user for different modes of operation.

Referring now to FIG. 8, a method is shown for removing entries from the future alert table or changing any of the parameters in the future alert table to generate other alerts. The method first determines 250 whether the message under consideration includes an entry number into the future alert table, step 250. If the message does not have an entry number, this means that the message has no corresponding entry in the future alert table. If the message does not have an entry number in the alert table, the pager is returned to standby, step 252. If the message has an entry number, the entry number is retrieved and displayed from the future alerts table, step
254. The entry is displayed with the time, date and alert. The method then queries the user for any changes to the parameters, step 256. This is accomplished by the user actuating the enter switch. If a change is to be made to any of the parameters, the user activates the mode button to change the appropriate letter in the field and subsequent activation of the enter switch causes the field to The character selected for is stored in memory. This particular method of changing the parameters is similar to changing the time characters in digital watches and is well known to those skilled in the art. Step 258
After the parameter has been changed at, the parameter is stored in the future alerts table, step 260. The paging receiver then returns to standby mode, step
252. Returning to step 256, if neither parameter should be changed, the entry is removed from the future alerts table, step 264. The entry number associated with the message in the message table is reset to indicate that the entry has been deleted from the alert table, step 266. The paging receiver is then set to standby mode, step 252.

Referring to FIG. 9, a method for inserting a new entry in the future alert table is shown. The method begins by prompting the time-date field to generate an alert for the selected message, step 30.
2. The time-date field is entered using a typical clock entry method, where each time-date character is entered by the user independently of each other. Time-After the date is set, the user can enter the time and date by activating the enter switch,
304. If you have entered the correct time and date,
The method inserts the time-date into an available entry slot of the future alert table, step 306. At this point, a default alert or an alert to be generated by the user can be selected, step 308. If a default alert is to be generated, the default alert is retrieved from the cord plug memory, step 310. The default alert is typically pre-programmed into the cord plug at the factory upon user request. Returning to step 308, if no default alert has occurred, the paging receiver prompts the user to select an alert, step 312. This is similar to steps 220-234 in FIG. If the user has selected the desired alert, the time, date alert, and message number are stored in the event slot, steps 314 and 316. The number of the event slot corresponding to the message is inserted into the message storage area together with the message number inserted into the available event slot in the time field, date field, alert field, and future alert table. This is to correlate any future alerts with the messages in the message storage area.

Thus, a method has been shown that allows a user to manually select a message for future alerts at a user-selectable time. The system also allows the user to select multiple alerts to be issued at a selected future alert time. Finally, the entry in the future alert table can be deleted to end the future alert of the message.

Referring now to FIG. 10, a method for a paging receiver to automatically insert an event into the future alert table is shown. The method begins with the paging receiver waiting for incoming message data, step 352. Eventually, an incoming message is received by the paging receiver and the paging receiver scans the message for a special time control character, such as control A, and the paging receiver inserts an event into the future alert table. Notify that it should. The paging receiver begins by checking the first character in the incoming message data, step 354. If the character is a time control character that notifies the user that the message contains a time field for inserting an event into the future alert table, the method sets a control flag, step 358. The method then enters, stores the message in memory and checks for message end (end of message), steps 366 and 368. If it is the beginning of the time control character, the message end does not occur at the first character, so the method loops back to decode more information, step 352. Since the next character is not a time control character, the method proceeds to check the time control flag, step 356. If the time control flag is set, subsequent data will include time, date and alert fields, step 360. Typically, the fields following the control character will be a time field, a date field, and the type of alert requested. The method detects a free event slot available in the future alert table and inserts a time field, a date field, and the required alert into the event slot, step 364. The method then stores the incoming information in memory, step 366. The method then determines 368 if an end of message has been received, step 368. If no end of message has been received, the pager continues to receive incoming information, step 352. Since the control character is located at the beginning of the time, date and alert fields, the method loads the parameters contained in the message into the event slot of the future alert table. When the alert field is loaded into the event slot, the paging receiver clears the control flag and continues to store incoming messages in page memory, steps 362-368.

Returning to step 368, the end of message is eventually received and the entry number associated with the message is stored in the message storage area, step 370. The paging receiver then checks if an alert field is present in the message, step 372. If no alert exists, the default alert is loaded into the future alert table, steps 374-376. The paging receiver then returns the paging receiver to standby mode and waits for the date and time clock at the paging receiver for comparison with one of the time fields in the future alert table. When both match, an alarm is issued to the paging receiver.

Referring now to FIG. 11, a method for generating a reminder alarm for each message based on a predetermined differential offset time stored in a non-volatile memory such as a cord plug is shown. First, the paging receiver is in standby and waiting for incoming message data, step 400. Eventually, the incoming message is received by the paging receiver and the method stores the message in the message storage area, steps 402-404. The paging receiver continues to store incoming messages in the message storage area until an end of message is received, step 404. When the end of message is received, the first received time is stored with the message in the message storage area, step 406. A predetermined amount of time is added to the first received time from the non-volatile memory, step 408. The time along with the date and the default alert previously stored in non-volatile memory is stored in the available event slot in the future alert table,
Step 410. The paging receiver then returns to standby, step 412.

In operation, after a message is received, a predetermined time is added to the time the message was received and stored in the future alert table. When the current time at the paging receiver matches any one of the future alarm times stored in the event slot of the future alarm table, an alarm is triggered to notify the user of a significant event. Step 40
It is also understood that 0-412 can be used by other routines included herein to store the received time of the incoming message in the time field. For clarity, the steps for storing the reception time have been described only once, but it is understood that the reception time is automatically stored in the associated message storage area upon receipt of an incoming message.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ───Continued from the front page (72) Inventor Abatecio Mark John, Florida 33317, USA, Plantation, Southwest Sixty Sevens Terrace 1060 (56) References JP-A-61-105137 (JP, A) Special Features Kai 58-81351 (JP, A) JP 53-79404 (JP, A) JP 62-189826 (JP, A)

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. A paging receiver operable to receive a data message of a transmitted paging signal, said paging receiver comprising memory means for storing said data message, a signal representative of an instantaneous date and time. A date and time clock for generating a time, a user input means for receiving from the user a signal indicating the data message and specifying time information, a means for storing the time information input by the user, the time Comparing means for comparing information with the instantaneous date and time, and alarm means for generating an alarm signal in response to the comparing means determining that the time information is equal to the instantaneous date and time, A paging receiver equipped. 2. The paging receiver according to claim 1, wherein the alarm means is an audible alarm device. 3. The paging receiver according to claim 1, wherein the alarm means is a vibration alarm device. 4. The paging receiver according to claim 1, wherein the alarm means is a printer. 5. The paging receiver according to claim 1, wherein the alarm means is a visual display device. 6. A display means for automatically displaying the data message in response to the comparison means determining that the time information is equal to the instantaneous date and time. The paging receiver described in the section. 7. Means for storing a default alarm signal in said memory means, and generated by said alarm means in response to said comparing means determining that said time information is equal to said instantaneous date and time. A paging receiver according to claim 1, including means for selecting the default alert signal to be taken. 8. The paging receiver includes an alert signal type corresponding to a received data message for use by the alerting means in response to the comparing means determining that the time information is equal to the instantaneous date and time. The paging receiver of claim 1 including means for prompting the user to enter. 9. A method of operating a paging receiver to receive a data message of a transmitted ringing signal and to generate a future alert signal corresponding to the data message, the method comprising the steps of: (a) ) Receiving the paging signal and decoding a data message from it; (b) receiving user input indicating the data message and specifying time information; (c) a time signal indicating an instantaneous date and time. And (d) comparing the time information with the instantaneous date and time, and (e) generating an alarm signal if the time information is determined to be equal to the instantaneous date and time. , A method of operating a paging receiver comprising :. 10. A paging receiver operative to receive a data message of a transmitted paging signal, the paging receiver comprising:
The paging receiver comprises memory means for storing the data message and for storing a predetermined time, a date and time clock for generating a signal representing an instantaneous date and time, based on a signal provided by the date and time clock Means for determining the reception time of the data message, means for adding the predetermined time to the reception time to calculate a future warning time, means for storing the future warning time, the future Means for comparing a temporary alarm time with the instantaneous date and time, and generating an alarm signal in response to the comparison means determining that the future alarm time is equal to the instantaneous date and time. A paging receiver, comprising: 11. The display means for automatically displaying the data message in response to the comparison means determining that the future alarm time is equal to the instantaneous date and time. Paging receiver as set forth in clause 10. 12. A paging receiver operable to receive a data message of a transmitted paging signal and generate a future warning signal corresponding to the data message, the paging receiver including: A decoding means for decoding a calling signal and reproducing at least the data message therefrom, a determining means for determining whether time data associated with the data message has been decoded from the transmitted calling signal, Storage means for storing the decoded data message and, if present, the decoded time data associated with the data message, in the decoded data message based on the decoded time data. Means for calculating the corresponding first future alarm time Means for comparing the first future alarm time with an instantaneous date and time, means for activating an alarm when the first future alarm time is equal to the instantaneous date and time, the determining means Input requesting means for urging the user to input time information when the time data is not included in the sent call message, the second future information from the time information input by the user. A paging receiver comprising means for calculating a different alarm time, and means for activating the alarm if the second future alarm time is equal to the instantaneous date and time. 13. A means for determining that the time data included in the transmitted call signal is improperly formatted, and the time data is determined to be improperly formatted. 13. The paging receiver according to claim 12, further comprising means for urging the user to input the time information in response to.